Flooring



L. F. URBAIN July 7, 1936.

FLOORING Filed May 6, 1952 2 7 .ZewzZZZrb Patented July 7, 1936 STATES PATENT OFFICE FLOORING of Illinois Application May 6, 1932, Serial 'No. 609,689

7 Claims.

This invention has to do with flooring and relates in particular to a floor board in modification of a conventional tongue and groove board and an improved means for anchoring such modified board in position.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved means for mounting channel members so that a permanent re silience is produced in a floor comprising floor boards laid upon the channels.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel clip member which is slidably contained in a channel base for holding the end boards of a floor thereto.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a new type of tongue and groove floor board which may be secured in assembled position with other like boards by means of a channel and clips for commonly, engaging the boards.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved form of clip for use with floor boards held in place upon channels and which clip is adapted to being fed 25 from a machine having a clip holding magazine.

Another object of the invention is an improved combination of floor board, and holding means therefor.

With these and other desirable objects of the 30 present invention in view, the description thereof is hereinafter set forth with reference to the accompanying single sheet of drawing hereby made a part of the specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a transverse section of an improved type of floor board embodying the invention and taken in perspective;

Figure 2 illustrates an end clip for such board and the manner in which such form of clip engages the edge of a floor board to be concealed by a baseboard and a quarter round; 7

Figure 3 is an elevation of the clip shown in Figure 2 and taken on the line 3--3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4' is an end view of an elevated chan nel;

Figure 5 is a plan View of the elevated channel shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a second form of elevated channel;

Figure '7 is a view taken in perspective illustrating the assembly of an improved form of clip with a floor board and channel;

Figure'8 is an orthographic projection of the clip shown in Figure '7;

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the clip shown in Figures 7 and 8.

Like reference characters are used to designate similar parts in the drawing and in the description which follows.

In Figure 1, a board 20 is shown inangular perspective. Such board is a modification of several types of boards described in co-pending applications of Leon F. Urbain and Frank-W. Cherry, bearing Serial Numbers 539,766 and 557,594, entitled Flooring, and filed under dates of May 15, 1931 and August 17, 1931, respectively.

The board 20 is a tongue and groove type of board in that it has below a narrow vertical section 2i, a tongue 22, and on the opposite edge a narrow vertical face 23 above a groove 24 and of equal depth to the face 2!. When several of the boards 20 are laid within a floor, the grooves 24 are adapted to receive the tongues 22 of adjacent boards.

Below the tongue 22 is a narrow groove 25. Next beneath the groove 25 is a section 26 which usually is offset inwardly of the board from the section 2|. At the opposite side of the board is a second groove 21 extending inwardly of the material beneath the groove 24, and a narrow section 28 below the groove 21. The section 28 may be ofiset inwardly of the board relative to the section 23.

The bottom of the board may have therein an inverted channel section 29, as is the customary practice in the milling of floor boards. Angular sections 30 and 3| may be formed between the sections 28 and 26 and the bottom of the board.

An end of the board 20 may have a contour similar to the right hand edge of the board shown in Figure 1 while the opposite end of the board may be not unlike the left edge of the board shown in that figure. To treat the board ends in this manner is not necessary for a carpenter may cut a groove therein while laying them if desired. Grooves 25 and 21 are at the same elevation and are so formed in manufacture. The grooves at the end of the board whether formed in manufacture or by a carpenter will register with the grooves 25 and 21 so that a groove is effected entirely about the board along its lateral edges. The ends of the board being configured as are the sides make it possible to abut the ends of the boards into assembly in the same manner as the sides.

Grooves 25 and 21 provide that a number of boards 20 may be anchored into selected assembly upon a floor by means of clips (not shown). Such clips are placed intermediate the edges of the adjacent boards and have tongues articulated in opposite directions therefrom to project respectively into the grooves 25 and 21 of the boards in assembled opposed relation thereto. Since the sections 26 and 28 are offset from the sections 2| and 23, a space is provided between the lower opposed sections of assembled boards for accommodating a clip between the boards that the lower body of the clip may extend downwardly for engaging a sub-structure.

' The sub-structure may consist of a number of channel members 32 shown in Figure 2 and.

which may be arranged in a parallel formation. The lower body of the clips for holding Jthe' boards in place may have notchesin either side.

thereof for engaging the flanges-33. of lthe'channels. Channels 32 are arranged to lie in one direction upon the floor while the boards 2lll are arranged flatly thereon and at right angles to the r a. base 44.

direction in which the channel members are laid. After the channels 32 have been placed upon a floor it is the ordinary procedure' to lay theflooringboards by starting at-aside of the floor and at the ends of the channels. The first boardthus laid adjacentto the wall may beheldinplaceby a clip lie-shown in Figure}; Clip 34 comprises'a lower body "35 having notches 36 'in. opposite sides thereof. The upper bodyt'l-offthe clip 34' is bent at ninety degrees to the lower body and at-adistancemeasurably spaced from the notches 36. so that said upper body will lie flatly upon the top of aboard 2G placed thereunder. Channels 32': and clips"34'other than those 'shownin Figure 2 are distributed at desired intervals along the length of the board Z0. The flanges 33 permit of the sliding of the clips 34 andtheboard 20 longitudinally of-the channels, but the nOtchesISB prevent the lifting of theclips-from the channel or movement laterally of said channel. After'the 'cl'ips' 3 i have'beenplacedwithin th channel'32 and a board 20 has beeniinserted beneath theupp'er'body 3Tof the clips, both the clips and board. are slid into "position against the wall; A screw 38xmayprovid'e 'a connection between the upper part of: the'clip34 and the floorboard.

The advantage of such'aclip as the-clip 34' is that it takes very little space between the end boardZEland a wall 39,'the latter-=being shown schematically in'Fi-gure 2. Subsequently :to'the' placing of the"board adjracent'to'the wall 391:.the moulding '4 El and quarter 'round4 i may be placed thereover to entirely conceal theclips.

Withthe first board"2ll--thus laid as described asecond board "ll? is brought up-along'sideztothe outer edge :of the laid board-'andin a 'manner to bringthegroove 24- thereof adjacent to :the tonguei-z'of the laid board- -Disposed within the channels between the twoxboardswill be clips heretofore described as having tongues articulated in opposite directions and for holding the adjacent: edges'of the two boards flatly to -the channels-p It is not'proposedthat the tongues ZZTHPOH the boar-deal! shall assist materially in holding the boards into-the *assembled position, but that the: tongues shall only .serve as-ear means f orrguiding the boards into place. Hence, the tongues-22 donot-project sofarfrom' the" edge of the board ,as -..do the tongues of the conventional tongue and groove board. The groove- -24 is cut narrower than the :g-roove upon the .ordinary tongue andgroove board so that in. every board particularly true of floors in the home or in a ballroom where there is a great deal of walking. To accomplish this in wooden floors, it has been the practice to space the joists at goodly intervals and to depend upon the natural spring- 5 like qualities of the wood to gain the efiect; After such a floor has been in use for a period of time, the boards become set and. lose their spring-like qualities. 7

In Figures 4 and 5 a form of channel which has an integral support is illustrated. In said form of the invention, the channel 42 comprises "a bottom 42a, side members projecting therefrom and indicated by the numeral 4%, and in-.

' wardly. directed flanges 420. .In this channel the clips C areadapted to be disposed.- Cut from the bottom 42a at spaced intervals are tongues :43, the end'o-f each tongue being. turned to form v Through the tongue 43 are apertures '45 and in the base there may be an aperture 1450. to receivefiaa ;fastening .member (not shownlr 'Ihe channel illustrated. is 'formed' by the iusualiolding and stamping operation during which the tongue is turned normal to the bottom 42a of thezchannel andtheltab 44 is bent to a;right*angleito" the tonguei43. V

In such .form of channel. :filling in :material may bebuilt around. the channel and maybe caused to project through the'apertures fl -to make a firmer joinder than could'otherwisecbe had. 'I'hexposition'tofthe tongues d3 one of choice and they. may be spaced :difierent distancesiapart according to thestress which may be applied to the floor whichis mountedupon a channel member. In suchiform of the invention," conduits and pipes may be' run beneath the channelandithe height of thechannel from: the supporting base .will (be regulated accordingly; The length of thetongue is used'for determining the height'to which the channel will be raised above'the supporting .base. a

InFigure-Gva second form' of. elevated channel is illustrated. The channel comprises a bottom or base 4'6, vertical sides 46a projecting there from, and inturned'flanges 46b. Integral with theschannel or securedthereto areobliquely disposed legs48. At the end of the legsdfi? are outwardly turned members 49 adapted to rest .upon the base and 'to: be attached thereto. The legs'48 may have apertures 50 therein and holes oraper- 50 tures 5! .maybe provided in the lower'tab "for fastening members. The apertures 59 provide for the joinder of a filling-in material on opposite sides thereof providing such material is used.

Spot welding may be-resorted'to. to secure the legs which may be in a single-piece to the channel;

If preferred, the'legs may be made vertical and if desired, of course, the supporting tabs may be turned-inwardly. 1

In this form'of the invention like that 'illus- 60 trated in Figures 4 and 5, the floor. boardsare raised above -the supporting member providing space for-conduits'pipes andforv filling-in ma terial if desired. 3

A floor disposed uponeither'of the elevated channels will possess a natural'springmess which will be lasting. When afloor is disposed upon such elevated channels; as for example, a-dance floor; the wooden floor will not have todepend upon itsown inherent'elasticity. On the other 0 hand, elasticity will be due'in' the-greater pro portion to" the manner in'which thefloorboards are elevated, and this elasticity will continuelong after the time Whendance floors made in the. conventional 'manner become set.

It 'is Well known that springy wooden floors disposed upon woo-den sleepers, after a time lose their elasticity and become set. This will not be true in a floor of the type herein illustrated for the elasticity will be due to the supports rather than to the floor itself.

A type of board which may either be anchored into place upon channels such as are shown in this specification, or which may be nailed to joists in the usual manner is shown in Figure 7. The board 51' has a tongue 58 on one side with vertical sections 59 and 66 on either side thereof. The section 63 is offset inwardly of the board to the section 59. At the other side of the board is a section 6| above a groove $2 and a lower section 63. Section 63 is set in relative to the section 6! as is the section 60 with reference to section 59. The groovefiz is of the same width as is the tongue 58 so that when several of the boards are brought together in the proper manner, the tongues 58 will project into the grooves 52 so that the sections at 59 and Si may be brought flatly together. Sections 5t and 53 being separated by a lesser distance than the sections 59 and 6! will not be in contact with one another in the assembled floor, but will have a space therebetween. Such a board as the board 51 has sufficient material along its edges that it may be nailed into place within a fioor in the usual manner.

The fact that the boards 5? when laid within a floor are only contiguous along their upper sections 59 and BI provides that the floor if subjected to moisture to cause a swelling, will not buckle upwardly at the edges of the boards, but rather will have a tendency to turn downwardly. However, the material of the adjacent boards will prevent the flange turning downwardly and the fioor will remain flat. Where there is a pressure along the entire faces of joined boards within a floor, or if the sections 60 and 63 were in contact, there would be also a pressure along those sections when the floor tended to expand which would counteract the tendency of the upper sections of the board to turn downwardly. As a result the pressure between the upper sections at the edges of the boards would cause them to curl up.

A clip 64 suitable for holding boards 5'! to a channel Ga is shown in Figures '7, 8 and 9. The clip has a lower body 65 with notches 65 along either side. Above the notches 66 are lugs 61. The upper body of the clip 65 comprises wings 68 definedone from the other by a groove 59. Both of the wings 58 are curved as better shown in Figure 9 and at a radius to make the body of the wings conform to the sectional contour of the tongue 58. Notches 66 of the clip E54 are of a width and depth to receive the flanges 69 at the opposite edges of the channel 64a.

The lower body of the clip 64 is readily received within the space between sections 60 and 63 of the assembled boards and does not interfere in any way with bringing the boards together. Since the tongue 58 upon the sides of the boards is relatively thin and the material of the boards is comparatively soft, a rap upon the back of the wings 68 will embed them into the material of the tongue to cause the outer face of the wings to lie in alinement with the longitudinal elements of the tongue 58 on either side of the wings. Then no part of the body of the clips 54 used in assembling boards 51 into a fioor will interfere in any way with the bringing of the boards together. Clips 6 provide an efficacious and expedient way of securing the boards to a sub-base.

Lugs 61 are provided upon the side of the clips to adapt the clips to fit into the magazine of a device for inserting them into the channels.

In the types of floor boards set forth in this specification it has been the object to provide sections below the tongue and groove of the boards to be separated by less material than the sections adjacent the top face of the board and 10 which are to be brought in contact when the floor is assembled.

This spacing of the sections has been for two reasons. The first reason is to provide a space for the body of the clip which is used for bolding the boards in place upon a suitable base, and the second reason is to preclude the touching of the lower sections so that an expansion of the fioor will not cause the edges of the boards to buckle upwardly.

In each instance both sections at the lower edges of the boards have been described as being offset inwardly of the board from the upper section. It is possible that the desired space between the lower edges of the assembled boards may be obtained by oifsetting but one lower edge of the boards by a greater amount, and by leaving the opposite lower edge in vertical alinement with the section thereabove.

What is claimed as new and is desired to se- 30 cure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. For holding tongue and groove floor boards to a base, a clip comprising a lower body with slots for engaging said base, and an upper body articulated in a manner to fit about the tongue 35 of one board and into the groove of the contiguous board.

2. A clip for anchoring tongue and groove floor boards to a base, said clip comprising a lower body with slots for engaging said base, an upper 40 body articulated to embrace the tongue of one board and fit into the groove of the contiguous board, and means for engaging a clip holding magazine.

3. In a floor, parallel channel members hav- 45 ing inwardly turned flanges at their upper long edges, tongued and grooved boards resting on and crosswise of said channel members, clips rising from the channel members, each of said clip members having in opposite edges thereof notches to receive the flanges of the corresponding channel member to lock the clip against vertical movement while permitting it to slide lengthwise of the channel member, each clip extending into the joint between two of the boards and fitting 55 over the tongue and nesting in the groove forming part of that joint, and each board having on the grooved side thereof a groove wider than the tongue upon the adjacent board in said floor.

4. In a floor, a foundation, boards laid edge 60 to edge on said foundation and joined by tongues and grooves, clips rising from the foundation and interlocked therewith for sliding movements at right angles to said tongues and grooves and against vertical movements, each clip having a hook part at the upper end embracing the edge of and biting into the top of one of said tongues close to said edge and nested in the groove in which that tongue is engaged. 7O

5. A clip for anchoring tongue and groove floor boards to a base, said clip comprising a lower body adapted to engage said base, and an upper body articulated in a manner to fit about the tongue on one board and into the groove of the contiguous board, andyto bite into the tongue near the edge thereof. 7

6; For holding tongue and groove floor boards to a base, a clip comprising a 'lower body with V edge athereof.

4 Y r :aoaaaas 'Z. A clip for anchoring" tongue and groevefloor boards to a base, said clip comprising a lower body with slots for engaging said-base anrupper body articulated to embrace the. tongue'of one board andjfit into :the groove of the contiguous board and to bite into the tongue near the edge thereof, and means for engaging a clip holding 7 magazine. 7 r V V LEON F. URBAIN. 

